1. Field of the Invention
The invention pertains to a vibration damper with an external such as a steering knuckle fastened to a tubular body.
2. Description of the Related Art
A spring strut with a steering knuckle is known from U.S. Pat. No. 6,343,804. This steering knuckle is clamped to the tubular body of the spring strut by a band clamp-like component. To position the steering knuckle in the circumferential and axial directions, an external part is used, which has a tongue-like projection, which engages in a slot in the band clamp-like component. The end surfaces of the external part facing the steering knuckle serve the function of an axial stop. A weld is proposed to connect the external part to the tubular body.
The clamping force of the clamped connection is determined by many factors. Thus the surface roughness of the tubular body and of the mounting opening of the band clamp-like component have a certain effect. In addition, the nature of the paint on the tubular body and the pretension of the fastening means in the band clamp-like component must also be considered.
If all the possible error tolerances become unfavorably superimposed on each other, the possibility that the steering knuckle will shift on the tubular body at very fast inward-travel speeds, e.g., when driving over extreme potholes, cannot be excluded. Excitations on this order of magnitude, however, are very rare during the life of an automobile. But if an event such as this has occurred, the possibility that the steering knuckle has shifted in an uncontrolled manner and thus caused an undesirable change in the geometry of the entire vibration damper cannot be excluded.
One of the first solutions which might be attempted could have the goal of increasing the surface roughness of the components participating in the clamped connection. This, however, leads to problems with the application of the paint, and the paint itself can have a negative effect on these roughness-increasing measures. Under certain conditions, it would also be possible to increase the pretension of the band clamp-like component, but then it would be necessary to increase the wall thickness of the tubular body, and this would increase the weight of the vibration damper too much.